NHTSA Complaint #11676430 — 2015 AUDI A3

The plastic roof trim panel on my 2015 Audi A3 is peeling and deteriorating significantly. This is not painted metal—it’s a separate, non-paintable plastic component that runs along the sunroof and roofline. The surface began flaking and lifting over time, and multiple independent body shops confirmed the panel is failing structurally and cannot be refinished—it must be replaced. While this may appear cosmetic, it’s not. The panel helps protect the roof seam and substructure. Its failure opens the door to water intrusion, corrosion, and potential roof integrity compromise—a serious safety concern, particularly in the event of a rollover or high-impact collision. Other owners of vehicles built on the same MQB/8V platform—including the VW Golf and SEAT Leon (not sold in the U.S., but structurally similar)—have reported identical issues, often followed by cracking or detachment of the panel. Despite multiple attempts to resolve this, Audi of America has been largely uncooperative. Their warranty process requires a diagnosis from a dealership, but most Audi dealers do not perform bodywork and refer customers to third-party shops—whose assessments Audi then refuses to accept. I’ve been left in a loop with no meaningful support, despite the issue being widespread and well-documented. I believe this is a design or materials defect that should be reviewed before it leads to broader safety or structural failures. See the below URL's for similar issues. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] Excuse the shortened URL's, I need to meet your character count. I also cannot seem to upload images (despite being under the file size). I can email them later. I do find it interesting how all the affected cars seem to be blue (or at least darker in color). Perhaps excess heat is causing the issue? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)